Out of Reach
by MaggieMcGreggor
Summary: (WIP, New Title!) Sirius obeys Dumbledore for once and lies low at Lupin’s. Awkwardness ensures, tempers flare, and confessions are made. (SB/RL –mild slash)
1. Return of Padfoot

Title: Wild Horses

Author: Maggie McGreggor

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Sirius obeys Dumbledore for once and lies low at Lupin's. Awkwardness ensures, tempers flare, and confessions are made. (SB/RL –mild slash)

Disclaimer: I am just another slave to JRK's world. It belongs to her.

Spoilers: Through book four. I'm in OotP denial mode. *hiss*

Author's note: Be kind—it's my first slash fic. A beta reader and some reviews would be quite welcome, if anyone's willing to oblige. As I lack a beta reader now, any mistakes are my own and you may bash me with a beater's bat if you so desire.

--

Remus Lupin hated the dark. He didn't just hate it, he loathed it with every fiber of his being. Ever since he'd been a little boy, and the werewolf had bitten him in the dead of night, the darkness made something inside him want to crawl into a corner and hide. It represented everything he hated: evil, fear, his own lycanthropy, and death. For Lily and James had been killed in the dead of night, and Sirius Black had nearly met a fate worse than death in the darkness almost exactly a year ago. 

Thinking of Lily and James caused an old ache to stir inside him, but it was the thought of Sirius and the dementors that made Remus shiver with fear. If harry hadn't been able to conjure that Patronus, if he hadn't taught Harry how to conjure one in the first place, if-

No, it was best not to dwell of "What if"s. Sirius was alive now, wherever he was, and so was Harry, though perhaps for not much longer. Remus had been avidly following the news of the Triwizard tournament since he'd read the (highly fabricated) article in the Daily Prophet about Harry's personal life. He suspected someone was trying to kill Harry yet again, and had written so to Dumbledore, who had been inclined to agree with the young werewolf. Tonight was the final task for the tournament, and Remus was awaiting the morning Prophet with a sense of dread. If Harry didn't make it…

Remus shook his head. Dwelling on such depressing things was beginning to give him a headache. He moved from the living room of his small house, to the cramped kitchen to make himself a cup of tea. It would help sooth his nerves, and perhaps some of the aches in his body after the full moon of three nights before.

A heavy scratching at his door startled Remus into knocking over the old blue teapot, spilling tea all over his pajama pants and the kitchen floor. Cleaning the floor with a wave of his wand, Remus moved to the door, his wand still held at the ready if needed. Cautiously, he opened the door to find a familiar shaggy black dog sitting on his side porch, regarding him thoughtfully.

"Sirius, what are-" Remus' question was cut off as Padfoot pounced on him, knocking him to the floor, and began to lick his face in earnest, tail waging. 

  
"Oy, get off me, you great big lump of fur!" Remus cried in protest, pushing Sirius up off his chest. He moved to shut the door, and turned around to face the now-human Sirius standing in his kitchen, barefoot and shabbily dressed, but grinning like a fool at his friend.

"Fancy seeing you here, Moony," he said by way of greeting, crossing his arms over his chest and shivering. "Don't suppose you'd mind me kipping here for a bit, seeing as how I'm a wanted man and all."

Remus grinned back at Sirius, too thrilled at the arrival of his dearest friend to wonder for long at the circumstances that had brought him to his doorstep. "Not at all, old friend. If you don't mind me saying so, you look awful."

Sirius gave a hollow laugh and, for a moment, his gaze took on the sunken, depressed look that twelve years in Azkaban had given him. But the look was gone as swiftly as it had come, and Sirius grimaced, looking down at his tattered robes. "A shower and some clean clothes wouldn't be amiss right now, Moony."

"And something to eat," Remus said, taking a mental note to have a long talk with Sirius about what was wrong. "The shower is right where it's always been, and I'll try and find some clothing that isn't worn to rags."

Sirius gave a haughty sniff and did a passable imitation of Lucius Malfoy, holding himself regally aloft. "For your information, Mr. Lupin, these are the highest fashion in Paris right now," he drawled, making Moony laugh for the first time in weeks. He gave a shake of his hips, making Remus laugh harder, and sauntered off to the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

"Mad, he is." Remus muttered to himself, heading across the hall to the spare bedroom, where he kept all the bits and boxes that didn't go anywhere else. He had a trunk full of Sirius' things in there somewhere, carefully hidden for thirteen years. It was dark, and Remus stubbed his toe once and muttered a few choice words before pulling out his wand and whispering "Lumos."

The trunk was tucked in the corner, between a broken hat stand and a cardboard box labeled "A.L.–DNO". The trunk bore Sirius' initials on a tarnished gold plate, and a simple "Alohomora" opened it easily, revealing the contents of the brimming trunk. Piles of photographs, a few moth-eaten sweaters, an old Gryffindor tie, a box labeled "Dangerous!" in Sirius' untidy scrawl, and a scattering of old Muggle clothes, including a pair of jeans that Remus remembered being very fond of seeing Sirius in. Those came out, along with a t-shirt and one of the less tattered robes. He moved to close the trunk, but paused, one of the photographs catching his eye. He did a double take, wondering where in the world Sirius had gotten a photograph of _that_ particular incident. His seventeen year old self was struggling helplessly under the onslaught of a seventeen year old Sirius, holding a sprig of mistletoe high above the two of them. As Remus watched, his younger self lost the battle and Sirius kissed him deeply. The memories came flooding back—

__

"Sirius, you stupid prat, get off me!"

"Not until you kiss me. It's tradition, Moony!" Sirius' voice held a note of something unfamiliar, which made Remus pause.

"Bloody hell!" But he gave in and stopped struggling.

"That's the spirit!" he crowed, and leaned in for the kiss.

Warm, soft lips brushed his, and suddenly Sirius was devouring his mouth, and Remus was helpless, lost in his touch—

"It's getting a bit chilly here, Moony,"

Remus jumped at the sound of Sirius' voice and hastily shoved the photograph back in the trunk, turning around. Sirius stood in the doorway, a towel wrapped around his waist, his long black hair damp and shiny from the shower. Remus gulped, words dying in his throat, and thrust out the handful of clothes at Sirius, blushing.

"He-here you go, Padfoot," he stammered, not looking at his friend. Sirius gave him an odd look, then shrugged and took the clothes in one hand, moving his gaze from the strange behavior of Moony to the trunk which he had just closed.

"Are those my old school things and the like?" he asked, genuinely interested.

Remus nodded, daring to look up at Sirius, now that his embarrassment had somewhat waned. "Yeah. Your mum was only too pleased to get rid of it after you, erm, after-"

"After I was a stupid git and went to Azkaban." Sirius finished without a trace of self-pity. "Right. Well, maybe we can look through that later. Right now, clothes. Ta, Moony." And he disappeared back into the bathroom again with a twitch of his hips, leaving a breathless and stunned Remus staring in shock behind him.

(Part Two: Dinner, a confession, and Sirius tells Remus why he's there.)


	2. Dinner and an explaination

Sirius had relished the feel of a real shower, and had used every drop of hot water possible, and then some, to scrub himself (and his hair) truly clean. He'd had to use Remus' shampoo and the like, and it was beginning to get to him, having Moony's smell in his nose constantly. Seeing Remus' reaction to his near-nakedness had given Sirius a moment of hope that his old friend wanted to pick up the pieces of their relationship and try again, but Remus had laughed it off and thrown him some clothes, which gave Sirius a nasty jolt. He still loved his old friend, had loved him all throughout his stay in Azkaban, and seeing him again in the Shrieking Shack, even under the circumstances, he had been hard pressed not to kiss him right there, in front of Harry and his friends. Only the thought of having to deal with Peter had made him resist. And seeing Moony tonight, once again under unhappy circumstances, the urge was still there, carefully controlled but present. 

Sirius dressed himself quickly, noting the fact that the jeans, while tight, fit him quite well, as did the t-shirt. He no longer looked as thin and lanky as he had when he' d escaped from Azkaban, but he still had a lot of weight and muscle to gain, if he wanted to look anything like his former self. Chucking his dirty robes into the hamper in the bathroom, Sirius strolled barefoot out of the bathroom and into the kitchen, where he watched Remus make a light supper for them. Time had added more gray to his friend's auburn hair, and a few more lines to his face, but he was still the same, wiry, thin Remus Lupin that Sirius had known in school, and he still found him beautiful. He wondered, briefly, if Moony in werewolf form was still half as amazingly handsome as he had been in school. 

Remus turned, and, spotting Sirius lurking in the doorway, motioned him into the kitchen. "Food's ready. I don't have much," he explained, sitting down at the tiny table. "But I'll get more tomorrow, if-"

"Remus, this is fine," Sirius assured him, smiling. "Really. It's the first proper meal I've had in months," He paused for a moment, considering how best to wipe the worried frown off his friend's face. "You could serve me boiled socks and I'd eat them. As long as they weren't Snape's."

That did it. Remus chuckled, digging into his sandwich at the same time Sirius did. For a while, they ate in comfortable silence, broken only by the occasional hum of satisfaction from Sirius, or the chink of glasses as they drank the tea Remus had made. Finally, when the table was cleared of every crumb, Remus magkicked the dishes into the sink with his wand, then leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table and regarded Sirius with an intent gaze.

"Why are you here, Sirius?" he asked, gazing seriously at his old friend. "I know you-this isn't a social visit. Something happened." 

Sirius sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose with his fingers for a moment before regarding Remus with a tired, haunted look. "Lord Voldemort is back," he said simply, waiting for Remus' reaction to the news. 

Remus did not shout, nor did he try and deny what Sirius had just told him. Rather, he gave a tired sigh and his shoulders slumped in defeat, looking off into the distance as if lost in thought. Sirius would have preferred it if he had gotten angry, or had started crying. Anger, fear ...those he could deal with. But Remus' exhausted acceptance gave Sirius pause, and he waited for his friend to say something. 

"When? And how?" Remus finally asked, his intense gaze back on Sirius. So Sirius recounted the tale exactly as Harry had done just hours earlier in Dumbledore' s office. When he had finished, Remus was looking even more tired and worried than before, but he regarded Sirius with a calm, determined look. 

"We won't let him get Harry, Sirius," he said softly, voicing Sirius' main concern. "You know that." 

Sirius sighed, dropping his head into his hands. "I know that, Moony," he said, his voice muffled. "But it doesn't make me worry any less. If anything happens to him-" 

"Nothing will happen to him. Not on Dumbledore's watch," Remus said firmly. He glanced briefly at the grandfather clock in the corner and raised an eyebrow: it was nearly midnight. He turned back to look at Sirius and caught him mid-yawn. Sirius froze, then smiled sheepishly.

"It's been a long night," he explained, but Remus shook his head, standing up. 

"You're going to bed. I don't care if I have to make you drink a sleeping potion- you're getting some sleep." 

Sirius didn't even protest as Remus hauled him to his feet and led him to the bedroom. Remus never entertained, and his spare bedroom was now a study/storeroom, so he laid Sirius down in his own bed and covered him up. 

"You sleep till you're rested. Don't worry about contacting everyone else--I'11 take care of that for you," he said, as Sirius began to feebly protest this demand. 

"Where will you sleep?" he asked finally, making Remus blink in surprise 

"The couch," he replied, picking up one of the extra pillows off the bed. " And no worries-I've slept there plenty of times." 

Sirius looked like he wanted to protest this, but he yawned again and simply mumbled a 'thank you' before falling fast asleep. His light snoring soon filled the room and Remus smiled, closing the door behind him as he went back into the living room. He had a lot of letters to write, and he hoped his owl, Roma, would be back from her hunting soon, so he could send them off quickly. 

He had just sat down to write the first letter when a noise from the hallway made him look up. Sirius stood there, now shirtless, looking exhausted but embarrassed. 

"Can't sleep," he confessed, blushing. "Don't like the dark much anymore." 

Remus knew in an instant what Sirius was asking, and decided the letters could wait until morning. 

"No worries. Padfoot." he said softly, following him back into the bedroom. Shedding his own robe, Remus lay down beside Sirius in the bed, and the two quickly fell into a deep, easy slumber. 

(Next: Chapter three—Remus plays dirty, letters are written, and Sirius makes an accidental confession.) 


	3. The Confession

(Author's note: I know that the last chapter was short, but I didn't want to lump that one and this one together. Any mistakes about names are my own and shall be fixed once I get my copy of OotP back. And thanks to everyone who's reviewed thus far.)

As Remus drifted towards wakefulness, he noticed two things: his covers were extremely warm, and his pillow was moving slightly. But he was comfortable for the first time in days, and he hadn't woken up once in the night, a truly miraculous feat. Groaning in protest at truly having to get out of bed, for his internal clock was telling him it was nearly eleven in the morning, Remus rolled over and found himself face to face with a grinning Sirius. 

"Morning, Moony," he said, his grin widening at Remus' startled look. "Sleep well?" 

The events of the night before came rushing back to Remus, and he sighed heavily. Knowing what had caused that sigh, Sirius put a hand on his friend's shoulder, his grin replaced by a look of concern. 

"It'll be alright, Remus," he said, forcing the young man to look at him. "Dumbledore will take care of everything. " 

"I know," Remus said, disentangling himself from Sirius. He refused to think about the fact that he'd been quite comfortable and happy right where he was, tucked in his best 

friend's arms. "But we've got to get the others together. You promised Dumbledore." 

"Right, right. Just five more minutes of sleep?" Sirius yawned, then buried his head in the pillows again. "I'm so tired." 

Remus smirked and silently counted to five, then picked up his wand off the bedside table and muttered, _"Wingardium Leviosa." _Sirius gave a loud yelp as the mattress lifted up off the bed frame and tossed him onto the floor. Laughing, Remus put the mattress back down and grinned at Sirius, who was sitting on the floor, looking crossly at him. 

"I'm going to make breakfast. We'll deal with alerting the old crowd after we eat," he said, walking out of the bedroom. A loud raspberry from Sirius followed him, and it was with a smile that Remus made breakfast for the two of them. He didn't want to think too hard, so he concentrated on cooking, and when Sirius appeared, fully dressed and showered, Remus had already made bacon, scrambled eggs, hash browns, sausage, and toast, along with a pot of tea for himself and coffee for Sirius. 

"You sure go all out, Moony," Sirius said, helping himself to some of the bacon. "Makes a guy feel welcome." 

Remus smiled at the praise then poured himself a cup of tea. He wasn't very hungry, and this seemed to bother Sirius, who kept pestering him (between mouthfuls) to eat something. 

"The full moon wasn't that long ago, and I know you're not feeling good. Eat something, or I'll make you," he said, a hint of pleading in his voice. Remus couldn't resist the puppy-eyed look Sirius gave him, so he obliged by eating some toast and a few pieces of bacon. This pleased Sirius, and the rest of the meal was passed in companionable silence. Finally, when Sirius had polished off the last of the bacon and coffee, Remus cleared away the dishes and brought out parchment, ink, and two quills. 

"You're helping me write these," he told Sirius, who made a face but didn't complain. "I'll take Arabella, Fletcher, and the Weasleys-" 

"Molly and Arthur already know," Sirius said, already scratching away at his first letter. "But I'll take Kingsley and the rest of the Aurors." 

The letters were quickly written and sent off with the knowledge that the recipients would contact anyone else that needed to know about the reformation of the Order. As Roma flew out the kitchen window, Remus stared moodily after her, feeling the need to brood over the current events for some time. Sirius, who was not noted for his patient streak, shifted uneasily in his chair, then sighed. 

"Rem, don't brood. It makes you look sulky and bored." 

"Didn't you once tell me I looked sexy when I-" Remus said absentmindedly, cut off quickly but Sirius ' alarmed exclamation. 

"Alright, fine!" Sirius stood up, turning an interesting shade of red. "Brood, for all I care. I'm going to take a nap." 

"Fine," Remus said coolly, raising an eyebrow. "You do that." 

"Remus, come on, " Sirius pleaded, now looking hurt. "Don't be mad at me. You know I hate it when you get all worried and over-analyze everything." 

"And why should you worry? I'm not your concern anymore." 

"Because I love you, you bloody prat!" 

--

(Next—Chapter 4: Remus reacts and Sirius learns something new about werewolves.)


	4. Too bloody stupid

The only sound in the room for a long moment was the unsteady ticking of the grandfather clock in the comer. Remus stared at his best friend, utterly shocked. Sirius loved him? As in _love, _loved him? Sirius looked utterly mortified, and ran out of the room and outside onto the porch. Gathering his wits about him, Remus followed, knowing he would have to do some fast-talking to keep Sirius from running.

"Padfoot, you love me?" 

"Yeah," Sirius refused to meet his gaze. 

"As in, 'I want to spend the rest of my life with you' love?" 

"Uh huh." 

"Oh. " Remus took a deep breath, then smiled. "That's great. Because I love you too." 

"So I'll just go then, since- wait," Sirius eyed him suspiciously. "Did you just say you love me?" 

"Uh huh." Remus grinned at him. 

"Ah, thought so." Sirius smiled, and Remus found himself in a bone-crushing hug, then Sirius' lips were upon his and he didn't think of much else until they parted for air what seemed like an hour later. 

"Mmm. That was nice. Can we do that again?" he murmured, dazed. Sirius laughed, then tapped him gently on the nose. 

"As many times as you want." 

Sirius was in heaven. He'd just kissed his best friend and had escaped with all of his limbs intact, as well as a confession of love from said friend. Things were definitely looking up now, though he wondered for a moment whether or not he' d shorted something in the werewolf's brain, because Remus seemed to be in a daze, mumbling half sentences and smiling.

"Anyone home in there, Moony? You're grinning like someone just put a dungbomb up Snape's-" 

"Perfectly fine." Remus said, cutting Sirius off before he could finish that disturbing train of thought. "Just, erm, a bit surprised. I wasn't expecting to find myself kissing you on my back porch when I woke up this morning." 

"Fun, isn't it?" Sirius kissed him again, and Remus could only nod his agreement. They managed to make it back into the house, still locked together, and Sirius began pulling Remus towards the bedroom, intent on making up for lost time. They only made it as far as the living room, where Remus woke from his dazed state and pulled back, looking seriously at Sirius. 

"We can't. I'm not-" 

"Relax. We don't have to do anything, you know, major," Sirius kissed him again, this time tenderly. "Not until you're ready."

"It's not that," Remus sighed, pulling himself out of Sirius' arms, though he didn't put much distance between him. "If we would, erm, m-make 1-love," (_Oh he's cute when he stammers, _Sirius thought) "it would mean I'd have to, urn, c-claim y-you as my, my mate." 

"Your mate?" This threw Sirius for a loop, and he stared at Remus as though he weren't entirely sure the man was speaking English. "As in, the forever kind?" 

"Werewolves mate for life," Remus said moodily, sitting down on the squashy couch. "And I can't take that risk, not if you're not serious, or if this could end tomorrow." 

Sirius sighed and dropped onto the couch next to Remus. This was a minor complication in his plans, but nothing he couldn't deal with, eventually. "That's okay, Moony," he said soothingly, reaching out to take his hand. "I love you, and I'd happily spend the rest of my life with you, even if we never had sex. But I'm willing to wait until you're sure. I'll just be taking a few cold showers now and then." 

"Really?" Remus looked at him, hope written allover his tired face. 

Sirius nearly melted at the sight. "Of course. This isn't some fling, Moony old friend. I love you. Hell, ever since I kissed you that one Christmas, I've wanted to do it again." 

"I liked that, you know. Even if I didn't act like it." Remus whispered, looking up at the ceiling and blinking furiously. Sirius knew he was trying not to cry, and it made him want to hold him all the more. "I thought you were just playing, so I didn't say anything about it." 

"And I thought you hated it, so I didn't say anything," Sirius gave in to his urge and pulled Moony into his arms, resting his head against Remus' soft auburn hair. "James kept bothering me about it. He suspected, you know, and never let up on me about asking you out. Even up until-" he stopped, unable to go on, and suddenly it was Sirius' turn to blink back tears.

Remus laid his head against Sirius' shoulder, sighing quietly. "He kept dropping hints that I should talk to you about it," he confessed quietly. "Lily too- I think it was their goal to play matchmaker for us." 

"We were too bloody stupid to notice." Sirius said bitterly, holding Remus even more tightly. "And it cost us thirteen years apart." 

"I wanted to hate you for what happened, but I couldn't. I hated myself for not knowing, for not confronting you about it earlier. And I hated myself for believing that you were capable of something that horrible." Remus closed his eyes, furious with himself for being so stupid. "Forgive me, Padfoot?" 

"Of course." Sirius kissed the top of his head. "If you'll forgive me," Remus nodded, then sighed. Silence passed between them for a moment, before Sirius snorted, and shook his head.

"What do you say we stop beating ourselves up about the past, and go have a look at that trunk of mine. I bet there's a few things in there to keep us amused until everyone starts dropping by for a chat."

(Chapter Five: Moody arrives, Molly gets mad, and Sirius gets even.)


	5. Visitors and Confrontations

Thank you to everyone who's reviewed so far. You've all been really great. And double thanks to my wonderful beta, Broken I. You all need to read her story, Fait Accompli

.

--

chapter five

--

They spent a good few hours going through the things in Remus's spare bedroom. Among the boxes of old books and random household objects, they found all sorts of mementos from their years at Hogwarts, including a few pictures Sirius wished had never come to light again though they amused Remus to no end. Some of them would have to be shown to Harry, if only because James had once sworn to burn all those particular photographs before his children could get a hold of them (Especially the one with the banana and Professor McGonagall's tartan dressing gown). The infamous Christmas picture was unearthed and Sirius took a moment to perform a dramatic re-enactment of the scene, making Remus laugh hard enough to draw tears. However, when they found a stack of pictures from Remus's birthday party, Sirius grew very quiet and withdrawn. The party had been just weeks before James and Lily were killed. Sirius wanted to kick himself: what kind of person had a great time looking over old photographs when two of his best friends were dead? Before he could get too worked up over the memories, Remus pulled a few pictures out of the pile that was from James's bachelor party and handed them to Sirius, who grinned ruefully at his best friend, his bad mood dissipating.

"Who'd have thought you'd look so cute in a lampshade and a skirt?" Sirius wondered aloud as he looked through the pictures, drawing a mortified groan from Remus. He promptly snatched that particular picture from Sirius in case it could be used against him at a later date. 

"At least I was wearing more than a pair of boxers and a Muggle cowboy hat," he retorted, which shut Sirius up for a moment. But when Sirius opened his mouth to retort, a loud knock came from the door. It made both of them jump in surprise. Sirius quickly dived behind a pile of boxes near the door. Remus stood up and dusted himself off while making sure Sirius wouldn't be seen. Then he anxiously went to answer the door. He looked out the small peephole. Relief swept over him as he opened the door to admit the visitor in. 

A grim-faced Alastor Moody stood on his doorstep, wand clutched in his hand as his gaze shifted warily, vigilant as always. "Hullo Lupin. Storm's brewin' up out here. Mind if we come in?" he growled, his magical eye still roving around as his real one was fixed on Remus. 

"We?" Remus asked craning his neck to see who was behind Moody, A blue haired rosy-cheeked young woman in bright pink robes was standing behind Moody, grinning slightly, clutching a battered umbrella. Seeing his confused look, her smile brightened and she waved.

"Wotcher!" she said, holding out her hand to Remus. He shook it, still curious as to why she was there. "Name's Tonks. Nymphadora Tonks."

"She's an Auror. One of Dumbledore's lot." Moody explained, moving past Remus. He stepped aside to let them both in. "Where's your dog?"

"My dog?" Remus repeated, a spike of fear suddenly running through him. "I don't—" 

"Relax, Lupin," Moody gave him a smile that didn't reassure Remus in the slightest. "Dumbledore's told us all about the situation. I'm inclined to believe him, so you can tell your friend to come out from behind the door now because I won't kill him on sight."

Chuckling, Sirius stepped out from behind the kitchen door. "Hello to you too, Moody." 

Tonks gave a squeak at seeing Sirius, but true to Moody's word, she didn't say anything about Sirius being a murderer or an escaped criminal. Quite the contrary: she was eyeing him as though he was a broomstick she wanted to buy. It made Remus feel suddenly jealous. As if sensing this, Sirius crossed the room and put his arm around Remus in a decidedly more-than-friends way. Tonks sighed dramatically and then sat down on the couch. 

Moody seemed oblivious to all of this. Rather, he was looking around the house curiously. "Nice place," he muttered, sitting down beside Tonks. "Better shape than that trunk, heh!" 

Remus didn't have any clue what he was talking about, and by the looks of it, neither did Tonks or Sirius. Clearing his throat, Remus looked at Moody and Tonks as Sirius sank into an armchair. 

"Tea? Or something to eat, perhaps?" 

"Tea would be lovely," Tonks said, smiling once again. Moody grunted his agreement, and Remus produced a full tea set on the low coffee table with a wave of his wand. Pouring them all cups, Remus handed one to Moody and the other to Tonks. When they had been served, Remus sat down next to Sirius again. Sirius sat forward, folding his hands in his lap. 

"Dumbledore sent you?" he asked, eyeing Moody curiously. "Then you know what's been going on." 

"Of course," Moody growled, pouring some sugar in his tea. "Got the full load of it right after the Potter boy fell asleep. Got your letter too—just as we were getting here." 

At the mention of Harry, Sirius sat straight up, suddenly very interested. "How is he? Harry, I mean." 

Moody shrugged, but he gave Sirius what Remus interpreted as a reassuring look. "Fine thelast I saw 'im. Been hanging out quite a bit with those friends of his; the Weasley boy, and the smart girl, Granger."

Apparently pleased by this news, Sirius relaxed again. However, Remus knew it wouldn't be long before the subject of Harry came up again.

There was another knock on the door, causing Moody to whip out his wand and point it around, looking suddenly serious. Tonks had her wand out as well, her girlish manner gone; all business now. Sirius had ducked behind the armchair in case there was trouble, though Remus knew he'd be ready for a fight if something unfriendly was on the other side of that door. Remus stood up and moved to the door, and looked at Moody. The ex-Auror grimly fixed his magical eye on the door, then nodded slightly. Satisfied, Remus looked out the peephole and grinned, opening the door for a drenched Molly Weasley, her son Charlie standing behind her.They were huddling under the porch as the storm that had been brewing all morning finally began.

"Hello Molly, Charlie," he said, moving to hug Mrs. Weasley and to shake Charlie's hand. "Arthur still at work?" 

"Yes," Mrs. Weasley said, moving inside the house with Charlie close at her heels. She took off her hat, pausing to brush a bit of water from Charlie's jacket despite his embarrassed protest. Only when Remus had closed the door did she continue speaking. "There' s a lot of work to be done, now that Fudge refuses to believe You-Know-Who is back." 

Sirius gave Mrs. Weasley a small smile, which she returned briefly. Yet, Remus noted she still looked a bit stunned to see him. Charlie, however, seemed to have no problem with his presence, and, in fact, even gave Sirius a friendly grin (which Sirius returned in full). Moody and Tonks greeted the newcomers with nods and put away their wands, though Moody still looked wary.

Remus gestured to the other couch. "Sit, have some tea. We were just discussing what has happened since that night." 

"Yes, well the children are still at school, of course." Mrs. Weasley accepted the cup of tea Remus poured for her and dropped a lump of sugar in it. "But I still wish Dumbledore would let me take Harry for the summer. I'd feel better if I could keep an eye on him." 

"Mum, you know with the wards Dumbledore's got on Privet Drive, You-Know-Who's going to be hard-pressed to attack Harry there." Charlie said, giving his mother a patronizing look. 

"And I'm sure he won't be there for long. He'll be able to join you all at the Burrow soon enough." Remus added, which seemed to placate Mrs. Weasley for a moment.

"Not safe enough," Moody muttered, leaning forward. "Dumbledore wants a round-the-clock guard on the boy. Plus, he's got to stay with the Muggles for as long as possible. Arabella's already going to take the first watch with Fletcher, and Tonks and I are on the next watch." The young woman nodded in agreement with this statement. Moody continued, "Dumbledore wants it kept quiet though. The boy's not to know we're there."

"But he'll want to know," Sirius protested frowning at Moody, who shook his head.

"Dumbledore's orders. You know how he is; I'm not going to question why," he said, which made Sirius glare at the ex-Auror. Remus put a gentle hand on his shoulder and Sirius subsided but was still slightly upset.

"Are we waiting for anyone else?" Mrs. Weasley asked, looking over at Moody as she sipped her tea. 

"Kingsley's still at the Ministry—working on your case, naturally," Moody said, shooting a glance in Sirius direction. "We'll talk to him later. We're off to meet with Podmore and Diggle next. Dumbledore's already got Dodge and Vance updated on the guard. He's got a whole schedule drawn up."

"When do Remus and I get our turn?" Sirius asked, focusing his attention on the task at hand now that he had somewhat calmed down.

"Remus is up with either myself or Molly," Moody replied grimly. "You, however, aren't on the list. Not safe to be out there since you're a wanted man."  


Remus winced, for he knew how Sirius would react to such a decision being made without his input. Sure enough, Sirius stood up, looking furious.

"Too dangerous? This is my godson we're talking about! I swore to James that, if anything happened to him and Lily, I'd look after Harry. And I'll keep that promise, even if it means risking my neck!"

"Sit down, Sirius," Remus said sharply, glaring at him. "You know Dumbledore's right. This isn't about your promise, it's about keeping Harry, and yourself, safe."

Sirius glared at Remus, then shrugged, his expression carefully guarded. "Fine. You all can decide the fate of my godson without me then." Without another word, Sirius stormed out of the room. A moment later, they heard the slam of the bedroom door. Remus winced, knowing that Sirius in a temper wasn't going to be easily dealt with. An uncomfortable silence settled over the remaining group until Tonks finally broke it.

"Is he always like this?" she asked very quietly. 

"Only when he's extremely hurt by something," Remus replied, sighing. "I'll deal with this. You all better go. Thank you, Moody, for letting us know about the surveillance situation. When Dumbledore gets the whole schedule done, make sure I get a copy." Moody nodded grimly as he stood up to leave.

"Right then," he said, and Tonks reluctantly rose as well. "We'll be seeing you all soon, I suppose. Goodnight then." Nodding to Molly and Charlie, Moody left with Tonks close behind him. When they were gone, Molly and Charlie rose as well.

"We better go then too," she said while giving Remus a tight hug, which surprised him slightly. "Do come and visit us, Remus," she said, as Charlie lingered by the couch, looking unusually bleak. "Arthur would love to see you again, I'm sure."

"Thank you, Molly," Remus said, honestly grateful for the sentiment. Molly glanced towards the hallway and then gave a tiny sigh and Apparated. Charlie only paused to give Remus a sympathetic look before he, too, Apparated. When they were gone, Remus locked the door and then braced himself to go deal with the furious Sirius.

--

There was no noise coming from the bedroom when Remus reached the door, which was neither a good nor a bad sign. Remus knew from experience that when Sirius got into a temper, he could be alternately vicious or sulky. So it was with extreme caution that he knocked on the door, bracing himself for whatever might come. What he was not expecting was to receive no answer whatsoever. The house remained silent and that worried Remus. Sirius should have been in a frightful temper, throwing things and screaming at him. Remus opened the door fearing the worst.

The room looked exactly as they had left it this morning. Sirius stood by the window, arms folded across his chest, watching the storm rage outside. When Remus stepped towards him, Sirius stiffened and turned away.

"Leave me alone, Remus," he said coldly. "I'm not in the mood to deal with you right now."

"Sirius, please," Remus said, taking another step closer. "You know you can't risk getting yourself caught by the Ministry, even to take care of Harry. He'd be furious—not to mention I'd be pretty upset too."

"I could transform, guard him in my dog form-"

"And get yourself caught by Muggle animal control?" Remus interrupted, shaking his head. "Besides, Arabella's only got cats. You'd look too suspicious so that's not even an option."

"I can't just sit here and do nothing, Moony!" Sirius began to pace, his movements harsh and angry. "Harry's out there all alone, probably confused or worried, and I can't do a bloody thing about it!"

"Do you think I'm enjoying this?" Remus snapped, sitting down on the edge of the bed. He watched Sirius continue to pace with a growing annoyance. "I care about Harry just as much as you do, and I don't want anything to happen to him—"

"Then let me protect him!" Sirius stopped his pacing directly in front of Remus, his eyes wild with a fierce sort of desperation that Remus had never seen in his old friend before. 

Remus tried to take a more reasonable approach. "Padfoot, I can't lose you again. And if you die or get caught, Harry loses his godfather as well. I can't let you take that risk"

"It's not your decision!" Sirius thundered, and stormed out of the room. Remus followed with a sense of dread overcoming him as he ran into the living room. The frontdoor was open, and there was no sign of Sirius anywhere.

"Padfoot!" he yelled, moving to the door. The rain was coming down in sheets now, and a streak of lightning illuminated the clearing around his house just long enough for Remus to see the shadowed figure of a large dog running off into the forest.

"Sirius!" he yelled again, this time running into the rain as he tried to catch his old friend. But it was no use; the dog was gone. Remus stood there, the rain beating his body mercilessly as he stared off into the trees, feeling sick at the knowledge that hit him like a Bludger: 

Sirius was gone. 


	6. Leather Trousers and Mistletoe

---

Chapter six

--

__

Hogwarts, early 1970's—Sixth Year

"Those pants are ridiculous, Padfoot," Remus said, staring at his preening fifteen year old friend over the top of his transfiguration book. "They make you look like a prat."

  
Sirius turned around again, admiring himself in the full-length mirror in the corner of their dormitory. "Oh, come off it, Moony," he protested, turning his torso slightly to check out the reflection of his backside. "They're not that bad."

"Leather trousers, Sirius? I knew you were vain but this goes beyond anything you've pulled before." Remus put down his book and leaned back against the headboard of his bed to get a better look at Sirius's rear end. That particular aspect of Sirius's body was being displayed quite well by the snug-fitting leather trousers that Sirius was wearing, and Remus was finding it a bit hard to concentrate on anything but that stunning, toned—

__

Stop that, he told himself firmly and picked up his book again. "I think you're just trying to catch Lily Evan's eye by wearing those," he guessed while forcing himself to look back down at the chapter he was reading about animagi transformations. The silence from the other occupant of the room confirmed his suspicions, and he sighed, feeling oddly hurt by the knowledge that Sirius fancied the redheaded Miss Evans. He had no claim on the boy and Sirius probably didn't even _like_ men that way, but it hurt all the same.

"D'ya think she'll like them, Rem?" Sirius asked, a note of uncertainty coloring his voice. 

Remus bit back another sigh and nodded much against his will. "Of course," he assured his friend, not looking back up at the other boy. He wanted to scream at him; tell Sirius that he, Remus Julian Lupin, found those pants to be incredibly sexy, and wanted to tell of all the things that were running through his mind right now about what he'd like to do to the body underneath those pants. But he knew he couldn't; the consequences would be too great. The risk of losing his best friend outweighed the urge to give in to the rising desire that was coursing through his veins. However, he couldn't resist a parting shot at least, in warning to the black-haired boy standing by the mirror.

"You do know that Prongs fancies her as well, right?" he said, deadly serious. Sirius grimaced and turned back to the mirror, staring moodily at his reflection as Remus waited for a response.

"Yeah, I know," he said finally, beginning to unbutton the trousers. "It was stupid. She likes him more than she'd ever like me anyway, even if she does think he's a stupid git for picking on Snape all the time."

"She thinks you're even more of a git," Remus said, wincing at how badly that had come out. Sirius surprised him, though, by laughing, even as he ducked into the bathroom to change. 

"Only makes me want to try that much harder," he called over his shoulder, making Remus smile in spite of himself. When Sirius returned, this time clad in his pajama pants, he sat down on the edge of Remus's bed, and looked seriously at his friend. "I appreciate the honesty, though. I may be a attention-seeking ladies man, but at least I have a friend who's got the sense to warn me when I'm going a bit too far."

"You're welcome, I think." Remus smiled, this time genuinely, as Sirius winked at him, and moved to his own bed. As the two boys readied for sleep, Remus decided it was time to be a little daring and at least let Sirius know that his efforts weren't all in vain.

"Hey, Sirius?"

"Yeah Moony?" The black-haired boy looked over at the pale werewolf with one eyebrow raised in question.

"I liked the pants." Remus said quickly and then turned over and closed his eyes, feigning tiredness. He heard a slight intake of breath from the bed across from his, then a quiet chuckle.

"Thanks, Remus."

Feeling suddenly content, Remus drifted off to sleep, dreaming of a pale boy with gray-blue eyes and a pair of leather trousers.

--

__

Christmas, Hogwarts, seventh year

Remus sighed contentedly as he sat down in one of the squashy armchairs that adorned the Gryffindor common room. He was absolutely stuffed from the Christmas feast, exhausted from the snowball fight he and the other Marauders had just finished, and the full moon wasn't for another two weeks. For just a moment, he allowed himself to revel in the fact that, for the first time, he felt truly normal. Life was good.

Remus was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn't even notice Sirius enter the common room, hiding something behind his back. The dark-haired boy had to struggle not to gape openly at his friend sitting in the armchair by the fire. Moony's normally pale soft skin had a rosy glow to it from the cold of the snow fight, his eyes were dancing with some inner mirth, and the light of the flickering fire threw his whole face into tantalizing half-shadow. Sirius found that he was sorely tempted to run his fingers through that delicious honey-colored hair of Remus's but resisted the urge. If things went according to plan, he'd be able to touch Remus all he wanted.

Pulling the sprig of mistletoe from behind his back, Sirius crept quietly towards Remus's chair. Oblivious, Remus continued to stare contentedly into the fire. Sirius could have tap-danced naked in front of the young werewolf and he probably wouldn't have noticed. Grinning, he held the bit of mistletoe over Remus's head and poked the young man in the shoulder.

"Looks like you picked a great place to sit, Moony," he said casually, his eyes sparkling with laughter. Confused, Remus followed the line of Sirius's arm to the mistletoe in his hand, and turned a shade of red that had nothing to do with the fire. Hastily, he stood, eyes darting around for any escape at all from the laughing boy in front of him.

"Come on, Moony," Sirius pleaded, easily pinning the other boy to the wall. "It won't kill you to have a little fun!"

"Sirius, you stupid prat, get off me!" Remus struggled, but it was only half-heartedly, knowing he could easily break the other boy's grip. Sirius knew this as well, which was why he continued to tease his friend.

"Not until you kiss me. It's tradition, Moony!" Sirius grinned, feeling butterflies suddenly spring to life in his stomach. _This is it_, he thought, _I'm really going to be able to kiss him._

"Bloody hell!" But Remus gave in and stopped struggling, staring wide-eyed up at Sirius.

"That's the spirit!" Sirius crowed, and leaned in for the kiss.

Warm, soft lips met his, and Sirius lost himself. He dropped the mistletoe as that arm snaked around Remus's waist, holding him close. He tasted like pumpkin juice and cinnamon, a combination that fascinated Sirius. He felt Remus's lips part beneath his, and suddenly the other boy was clinging to him, fists curled in Sirius's robes as he assaulted his mouth. Sirius was too surprised at Remus's sudden boldness to care, and moaned at the sensations that Remus's touch was causing. The moan, however, seemed to penetrate the haze of passion that had engulfed Remus and he pulled away, releasing Sirius so suddenly that he stumbled and fell to the floor. 

"Remus?" he asked, confused. But it was too late. Looking terrified, Remus fled out the portrait hole, leaving a puzzled Sirius sitting on the floor staring after his friend.

Some hours later when Sirius had finally gone up to bed and Peter and James were both fast asleep, Remus crept back into their dormitory and silently slid under the covers of his bed. Quickly, he pulled the hangings shut and rolled over, closing his eyes just as the hangings opened again and Sirius peered down at him.

"Moony?" he whispered softly, but Remus forced himself to lie still and pretend to be asleep. After what felt like an eternity, Sirius sighed softly (a sound which made Remus almost lose his resolve and roll over to face the boy) and crept back to his own bed. He did, however, leave a parting whisper that made Remus's heart lurch painfully.

"I'm sorry."


	7. Number Twelve Grimmauld Place

I've been busy lately so I didn't do the usual footnotes. Sorry ^^; but I did mention some of them at the end. Also, I must apologize again about taking far too long too. -- chapter seven --  
  
In the village of Middleton, which was a few miles south of the Scottish/English border, things were generally grouped into two categories: Normal and Abnormal. A Friday night in the pub spent drinking with friends was normal. A man living all by himself in a cottage outside the village? Abnormal. And when this man suddenly had visitors when he had formerly refused all advances of hospitality by the residents of the village before? Extremely abnormal. Which was why most of the town was gathered in the Swishing Feather, the town's only pub, on Friday night discussing what Mrs. Undling had seen as she came back from a visit with her sister.  
  
"Two men and two women, all of 'em strange-lookin', sittin' pretty as you please in that Lupin man's livin' room," recounted Mrs. Undling, the wife of the mayor. "And my Bess, dear thing, she swore that she saw another man sittin' on the porch with young Mr. Lupin. Said he looked frightful: all long hair an' bony. And that he was holdin' Lupin's hand like a lover."  
  
"Mayhap our Mr. Lupin is a pouf, eh?" One of the men at the bar, who was the village blacksmith, spat on the floor. "Wouldn't surprise me in the least. Always somethin' queer 'bout that one ever since he came to this here town."  
  
A general murmur of agreement went around the pub, most of the inhabitants looking generally unhappy with the situation at hand.  
  
"Unnatural," someone said, sneering.  
  
"Positively disgraceful," said another.  
  
"Well if Mr. Lupin is in fact a queer, and he's happy, then I wish him the best," remarked Jack, the barkeeper, his voice ringing clear through the whole pub. "That man's always got such a sad look about him. If he's happy now, then we shouldn't pry. T'aint none of our business what sort of lad Lupin prefers, and we shouldn't make it our business."  
  
Another round of murmuring went around the pub, but this time it was more thoughtful and not nearly as unhappy or uncomfortable as before.  
  
"Jack's right," one man said, lifting his glass. "He ain't hurtin' no one, not really."  
  
"Let the poor man be," said a woman from the edge of the bar.  
  
All eyes seemed to be on the blacksmith, who grumbled something about an "unnatural man" before muttering his agreement. And so the village of Middleton passed their verdict on the strange young man living outside of town. Little did they know that the subject of their conversation was, in fact, sitting at his kitchen table at that moment feeling absolutely miserable.  
  
--  
  
Remus stared into his cold cup of tea, which he'd made hours ago but hadn't touched. Sirius had been gone for almost three days, and Remus had begun to give up hope of his return. When they had fought as boys, Sirius would stalk off and sulk for a few hours, only to then return later and beg forgiveness from Remus, who (not having been mad in the first place) would happily forgive and forget. Their last major row had been the night before Lily and James had died. Remus had confronted Sirius about his constant mysterious disappearances. At the time, he had suspected Sirius of being the spy, but now that Peter had confessed, Remus knew the truth. Sirius had been working overtime with the Aurors and couldn't say what he'd been doing no matter what the circumstances are, in case Remus was the spy.  
  
Too many misunderstandings, Remus thought moodily and looked up at the clock on the wall with a bleak expression. And it almost cost us all our lives.  
  
A heavy scratching at the back door startled Remus into knocking over his cup of tea. The liquid spread, staining the threadbare white tablecloth, yet he didn't notice or care. Instead, he unlatched and opened the door, half-expecting it to be a trick and find Death Eaters on his doorstep. Instead of Lucius Malfoy and his cronies, however, Padfoot sat on the wooden porch with his tail wagging slightly and large brown eyes full of pleading.  
  
"Oh Padfoot," Remus whispered, dropping to his knees and letting the dog shower him with slobbery kisses. He buried his face in the dog's thick shaggy fur and breathed in deeply, the wolf in him noting the smells that were familiar: wet earth, trees, and cinnamon. Cinnamon? Remus wondered, but he ignored that particular detail as self-righteous anger began to bubble up, making him release Padfoot quite suddenly.  
  
Remus stood up shakily as Padfoot bounded into the house, the huge dog turning around to wait for Remus to join him, his great big tail wagging happily. As soon as Remus closed the door, Sirius appeared in Padfoot's place, a tired smile upon his face.  
  
"Where have you been?" Remus demanded, pulling Sirius to his feet. In reply, Sirius captured his mouth in a searing kiss, but let go just as suddenly as Remus grew stiff in his arms.  
  
"Remus?" he asked, looking confused. "Are you alright?"  
  
"Alright?" Remus repeated, staring at Sirius as though he was mad. "You dissapeared into the woods for three days. You left me. And you think I'll be alright?"  
  
Sirius took a step forward, but Remus moved away, standing by the sink, his face set in an angry frown. Carefully, Sirius tried, again, putting his arms around his lover from behind, resting his chin on Remus's shoulder. "I went to Hogwarts," he admitted, looking repentant. "I had some things to talk to Dumbledore about, and it took longer than I thought."  
  
"I was worried," Remus said softly, giving Sirius a half-hearted glare. "You could have owled me, or used the fire-"  
  
Sirius shook his head, squeezing Remus tightly. "I didn't think it would take as long as it did. Besides," he added, looking sheepish. "I thought you might still be angry with me. I was quite an asshole the other night."  
  
"That you were," Remus said, drawing a mock-hurt 'hey!' from Sirius. "But you know I never stay mad at you for long. I forgave you the minute I watched you run off."  
  
"I am sorry, Moony," Sirius said quietly, looking his lover in the eyes. "I just get so frustrated. Harry's my godson and James entrusted me to look after him. But now I can't."  
  
"That's why you have me, Dumbledore, and the Weasleys," Remus soothed, turning around and taking Sirius's hands in his. "And I promise we'll do our best until you can take up your duties again."  
  
Sirius sighed and rested his head against Remus's, looking into the fireplace. "I offered my mother's house as headquarters for the Order," he said suddenly as he watched the flames. "Dumbledore agreed. We're supposed to move in there by the end of the week."  
  
Remus looked down at Sirius, startled. "Why, Sirius? You swore you'd never set foot in that place again."  
  
"I know," Sirius looked up at Remus with a half-hearted smile. "But I have to face my demons sometime, and it's the perfect place. Everyone knows that miserable hag disowned me-who would suspect that she actually left me the house in her will."  
  
"What about that house-elf of hers?" Remus asked, thinking of the few stories he had heard of Sirius's days in the Black manor. "Kratchs or whatnot?"  
  
"Kreacher," Sirius said, shuddering. "Stupid, nasty old thing. I suppose he'll have to stay though. I don't know what I'd do with him otherwise. Can't throw him out; he'd go spilling my whereabouts to the Malfoys or anyone else."  
  
"We'll manage," Remus said, yawning slightly. "But all that can wait till morning. How about some dinner,and then bed?" he asked, looking at Sirius. Sirius raised an eyebrow and gave Remus a sly look, who blushed as he realized the double meaning of his words.  
  
"I-I didn't mean-"  
  
"Relax, Moony," Sirius laughed, poking Remus in the side playfully. "I know what you meant. Dinner sounds wonderful, and I could use a few hours of sleep. Of course, if you were offering the other thing, I wouldn't say no," he added teasingly, laughing as Remus began to stutter and blush again.  
  
"Er, well, n-no, I don't t-think that's an option r-right now," Remus said, turning away to hide his bright red face. "Dinner, though, yes, and bed. Separate beds. Maybe I'll just sleep down here, in case-"  
  
"Relax, Moony," Sirius said, laying a hand on Remus's shoulders. "I was just teasing. Let's get some dinner. Then you'll go to your room and I'll sleep on the couch. And no arguments about that-I don't mind the couch and you know it."  
  
"O-okay,"  
  
--  
  
"So, this is it then?" Remus asked, looking down at the canine form of Padfoot beside him. "Number twelve, Grimmauld Place."  
  
Padfoot gave an affirmative bark and looked over at Professor Dumbledore, who was dressed in a Muggle Hawaiian shirt and shorts and looked extremely comfortable.  
  
"Very well then," he said, his eyes twinkling as Remus gave him yet another sideways glance. The old wizard raised his wand and then began to perform the complex series of charms that would unlock the long-empty house. Remus kept an eye out for any Muggles who might wander through while Padfoot paced uneasily around the two men, occasionally nudging his cold nose against Remus's jeans. Absently, he reached down to scratch behind the dog's ear and received a licked hand in return. Finally, Dumbledore performed the last of the charms and the shabby black door opened. From inside came a foul burst of stale air, making Remus gag slightly. But Dumbledore merely waited a moment before stepping inside, and Padfoot and Remus following one step behind.  
  
It was completely dark in the hallway, however Dumbledore took care of that with a wave of his wand. The ancient lamps along the walls sputtered to life, casting a dim glow over the hall. The wallpaper was peeling from the dirty walls and small clouds of dust rose with every step, making Remus's eyes water. The chandelier was covered in cobwebs, as were most of the furniture and the portraits on the wall.  
  
Behind him, Remus heard a faint pop as Sirius transformed back into human form. The man gave a low whistle, looking around.  
  
"This is disgusting," he said. But before he could continue, an ear- splitting terrible scream that echoed through the hallway. Immediately, Sirius and Remus clamped their hands over the ears while Dumbledore looked around, startled.  
  
"Traitors! Filth! Vile half-breeds! How dare you shame the house of my fathers!"  
  
"Shut up, you miserable old hag!" Sirius shouted, looking towards a portrait on the far wall. Remus caught a glimpse of a horrible-looking old woman; her eyes wide and bugging with anger, shaking her fist and screaming at them. Her face a grotesque sight.  
  
"Abomination, blood traitor, shame of my flesh! Be gone from this place!" the woman shrieked. "Scum, filth, vile betrayer! How dare you-!"  
  
But the rest of the woman's words were cut short as Dumbledore waved his wand and a shimmering wall formed around the portrait, effectively blocking off the sound of the old woman's voice.  
  
"Your mother has quite the temper, Sirius," he said, his eyes twinkling. "How could I have forgotten her rather.impressive character?"  
  
"Stupid old hag," Sirius muttered rebelliously and shot a furious glare at the old woman, who continued to shake her fist at them and screaming silent obscenities. Disgusted, he shut the moth-eaten velvet curtains over her screaming portrait, shutting her off from their view as well.  
  
"Well, shall we explore the rest of the house?" Dumbledore said cheerfully, looking back at Sirius and Remus. Together, the three of them walked through the whole house; battling two boggarts, a flock of doxies, and a ghoul as they explored. In the master bedroom they came upon Kreacher, the Black's ancient house elf, who was poking about with a rag and muttering to himself. When he saw Sirius, however, his mutterings grew louder even as he bowed low enough that his nose touched the threadbare carpet.  
  
"Kreacher is surprised to see Master," the elf said gloomily, and then continued in an undertone, "Master is an ungrateful, wretched boy, breaking poor Mistress's heart-"  
  
"That woman didn't have a heart," Sirius spat, now glaring angrily at the house elf. "Stand up straight. This place is filthy. What have you been doing for ten years, Kreacher?"  
  
"Kreacher lives to serve the noble house of Black," the elf muttered, bowing again. "Kreacher is obeying Mistress's orders, oh what would Mistress say if she saw Master here, consorting with filthy scum and defiling her beautiful house-"  
  
"Shut up, you," Sirius snapped and cast an apologetic look to Dumbledore and Remus before returning his attention to the house elf. "And get used to 'filthy scum', Kreacher. There'll be a lot more of us soon enough."  
  
"Yes, Master, of course Master," Kreacher said, his nose still pressed flat to the ground. "Mistress swore he was no son of hers, the horrible little brat. And a murderer too. Oh what would Mistress say-"  
  
"Oh stuff it," Sirius said irritably and moved towards the bedroom door. "He's gone round the twist. Might as well leave him. He can't do much of anything anyway."  
  
"Of course," Dumbledore said mildly, following Sirius out of the room. Remus cast one last curious glance at the muttering elf before following Dumbledore and shutting the door behind them  
  
Finally, when they had explored a bit more of the house, they returned to the entrance hallway, where Mrs. Black had finally quieted down and fallen asleep. With a wave of his wand, Dumbledore removed the silencing charm and said softly, "Best not to make much noise in here. This will do nicely, Sirius. Thank you for the suggestion. Professor Flitwick and I shall perform the Fidelius charm this evening and seal you inside. I'll send Molly Weasley and her children over tomorrow to help clean up."  
  
"Thank you, Professor," Remus said, nodding to the old man. Sirius nodded as well, though he kept shooting angry glances at his mother's portrait.  
  
"Good night then, gentlemen." Smiling, Dumbledore left the house and the multitude of magical locks clicked into place after him, efficiently sealing Sirius and Remus inside.  
  
-- 


End file.
